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Biomedical subjects

J MacLean

Publications and source records attributed to J MacLean.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Botulinum toxin treatment of spasticity in diplegic cerebral palsy: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study.

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of three doses of botulinum toxin A (BTX-A; Dysport) in 125 patients (mean age 5.2 years, SD 2; 54% male)with dynamic equinus spasticity during walking. Participants were randomized to receive Dysport (10, 20, or 30 units/kg) or placebo to the gastrocnemius muscle of both legs. Muscle length was calculated from electrogoniometric measurements and the change in the dynamic component of gastrocnemius shortening at four weeks was prospectively identified as the primary outcome measure. All treatment groups showed statistically significant decreases in dynamic component compared with placebo at 4 weeks. Mean improvement in dynamic component was most pronounced in the 20 units/kg group, being equivalent to an increase in dorsiflexion with the knee extended at 19 degrees, and was still present at 16 weeks. The safety profile of the toxin appears satisfactory.

Botulinum Toxins, Type A↗
PubMed2000

High functioning autism and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder in half brothers.

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD) is grouped with autism as a subtype of Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) in ICD-10 and DSM-IV. This is the first report of autism and CDD cosegregating within a sibship. J. P. and M. P. are half-brothers with the same mother. J. P. is an 18-year-old with impairments in communication, social reciprocity, and stereotypies and was diagnosed with autism. M. P. is a 7-year-old who developed normally to 2 years 4 months. He then underwent a profound regression, becoming nonverbal and socially withdrawn, and lost adaptive skills. Investigations did not reveal any neurodegenerative process. M. P. was diagnosed with CDD. The rarity of the two conditions suggests a shared transmissible mechanism. The implications for autism/PDD genetic studies are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

The art and science of a behavioural approach to care.

Behavioural psychology has much to offer residents, families and staff. Properly developed, a behavioural approach to care is at once humane, scientific and practical. In our experience, the dedication of resources and expertise to implementation of a behavioural approach to care has been truly beneficial for all concerned.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

The published DNA sequence of human cytomegalovirus strain AD169 lacks 929 base pairs affecting genes UL42 and UL43.

Compared with the published DNA sequence (M. S. Chee, et al. Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol. 154:125-170, 1990), most isolates of human cytomegalovirus strain AD169 contain an additional 929 bp after nucleotide 54612. This results in a changed reading frame for the 5'-terminal 50 codons of gene UL42 and expansion of gene UL43 (a US22 family member) from 187 (3'-truncated) to 423 (full-length) codons. The UL42 and UL43 gene products are nonessential for growth in culture.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Pulmonary response to inhaled antigen: neuroimmune interactions promote the recruitment of dendritic cells to the lung and the cellular immune response to inhaled antigen.

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a critical role in capturing and presenting inhaled antigens to T lymphocytes. We report that pulmonary DCs in the Lewis rat are normally located in the lung in immediate proximity to nerve fibers that contain immunoreactive substance P (SP). Functionally, pulmonary DCs bound 125I-SP and displayed increased motility in vitro in response to graded concentrations of SP. However, SP had no effect on the accessory cell activities of DCs. To examine the role of neural influences on the pulmonary immune response to inhaled antigen, Lewis rats were pretreated with capsaicin (CAP), which damages small nerves and depletes neuropeptide stores, and then challenged intratracheally (i.t.) with hen egg lysozyme (HEL). The number and antigen-presenting cell activities of pulmonary DCs in the CAP-treated rats were comparable to those of controls up to day 14. T lymphocytes harvested from the regional lymph nodes draining the lung were effectively sensitized to HEL in both groups. However, when CAP-treated rats sensitized to HEL i.t. at day 0 were rechallenged with HEL i.t. at day 14, the lungs showed decreased numbers of OX-6+ DCs and diminished pulmonary lymphoid infiltrates compared with controls. We suggest that CAP interferes with a neural-mediated response that contributes to the accumulation of inflammatory cells during the efferent limb of the pulmonary-cell-mediated immune response in vivo.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1996

High phenotypic correlations among siblings with autism and pervasive developmental disorders.

The objective of this study was to examine familial factors influencing clinical variation in sibships that contained at least 2 children affected with autism or another form of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). The sample included a total of 60 families, 23 with multiple cases of PDD and 37 with a single affected child. Measurements of IQ, adaptive behaviors in socialization and communication, and autistic symptoms were taken on all affected children. A high intraclass correlation, especially on IQ and an index of social behaviors, was observed between affected children from the same family. In contrast, low correlations were observed on measurements of IQ and adaptive behavior between affected and unaffected children from the same family. These data indicate that variation in severity of PDD is influenced by familial, and probably genetic, mechanisms. The results are discussed in relation to current theories on the genetics of autism and the heritable mechanisms underlying variations in clinical severity.

Autistic Disorder↗
PubMed1996

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene mutations in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.

The etiology of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is not well understood. A clinical phenotype resembling the pulmonary disease seen in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients can occur in some individuals with ABPA. Reports of familial occurrence of ABPA and increased incidence in CF patients suggest a possible genetic basis for the disease. To test this possibility, the entire coding region of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) gene was analyzed in 11 individuals who met strict criteria for the diagnosis of ABPA and had normal sweat electrolytes (< or = 40 mmol/liter). One patient carried two CF mutations (deltaF508/R347H), and five were found to carry one CF mutation (four deltaF508; one R117H). The frequency of the deltaF508 mutation in patients with ABPA was significantly higher than in 53 Caucasian patients with chronic bronchitis (P < .0003) and the general population (P < .003). These results suggest that CFTR plays an etiologic role in a subset of ABPA patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Comparison of serum free thyroxine measurements by chemiluminescence and equilibrium dialysis.

A study of 239 patients compared free thyroxine (FT4) measurements made by equilibrium dialysis (ED) with measurements made using the Magic Lite FT4 chemiluminescence (CI) immunoassay (Ciba Corning Immunodiagnostics). Patient groups: 41 normals; 27 hyperthyroid; 29 hypothyroid; 37 sick euthyroid; 10 chronic renal failure (CRF) and 25 pregnant patients; 13 oestrogen; 10 heparin; 12 salicylate; and 9 dilantin-treated patients; 3 lipaemic; 5 haemolysed; 6 hyperbilirubinaemic patients; 6 low thyroid binding protein (TBP) and 6 high TBP level patients. The two assays gave comparable results in most groups. Both assays tended to give elevated values in heparinized patients but FT4-ED results were more obviously affected. Pregnant patients and women on oral oestrogen had higher mean values with FT4-ED. In both assays the sick euthyroid and CRF patients had mean FT4 values similar to healthy euthyroid patients; the range of values in sick euthyroid and CRF patients was similar in both assays but wider than in healthy euthyroid patients. A supplemental study of 81 unselected acutely ill patients using FT4-Cl alone confirmed the wider range of values to be anticipated in sick euthyroid patients.

Adult↗